


Stormseeker: Unwanted Destiny Alternate Ending

by Serriya (Keolah)



Series: Stormseeker Saga: Alternate Timelines [7]
Category: Geneforge, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Star Wars Legends: Knights of the Old Republic
Genre: Dark, Dimension Travel, Multi, Revenge, Time Travel, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-16
Updated: 2012-07-16
Packaged: 2018-01-19 10:14:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1465630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keolah/pseuds/Serriya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lexen Chelseer will stop at nothing for revenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stormseeker: Unwanted Destiny Alternate Ending

**Author's Note:**

> This is an alternate ending to [Stormseeker: Unwanted Destiny](http://archiveofourown.org/works/502546/). I rather liked the chapter, but it didn't work with what I was trying to do, so I cut it and rewrote it.

After the supposed defeat of Voldemort, I expected the Order of the Phoenix to disband and give us no more trouble. I expected to be able to complete my next two years of Hogwarts in peace. 

"The Order doesn't believe that the Dark Lord is really dead," Snape reports. "Moody, in particular, is more than a little suspicious. I would not put it past him to try something, and soon." 

I give a nod. "Thanks for the information. We'll keep our eyes open." 

The letters for the next term at Hogwarts soon arrive, and I head to Diagon Alley to pick up this year's supplies along with Cassie and Gerard. We pick up our books and supplies, and are intending on heading for Ollivander's next when Gerard stops to look down Knockturn Alley. 

"Come on, let's take a look," Gerard says. 

"Gerard, that might not be a good idea," I say. 

"Bah," Gerard says, heading in anyway before I can stop him. 

I glance aside at Cassie, sigh, and follow after him. I can't really blame him, I suppose. I know I made a beeline for Knockturn Alley the first time I came here, and accidentally got killed for it, but then I was an _actual_ ten year old, and not a Dark Lord who is over a century old and simply in the body of a first year student. 

"We really ought to go and get your wand, Gerard," I say. 

"In a minute," Gerard says. "I want to take a look at their books." 

"Alright, alright," I say as we head into a seedy-looking bookshop, in fact the very one I ran into Tom what seems like ages ago, where he was looking for _Secrets of the Darkest Art_. "Cassie, stick with him. I'll keep an eye on the door." 

Cassie nods. I pull out the Elder Wand and stand ready in a corner with a good view of the door. I'm nothing if not paranoid, especially here. I'm not about to let down my guard for anything. 

There aren't any other patrons in the shop at the moment besides us. While I'm watching the door, an elderly witch comes into the shop. She pauses to look at me for a moment, and I mutter, " _Nomino_." 

Alastor Moody. 

_Shit_. 

"Harry, take a look at this!" Gerard says, holding up a book. 

"Not now!" I snap. 

Moody seems to realize that his cover has been blown and pulls his wand on me. In a panic, I start flinging curses at him, to which he responds in kind. In between dodging curses, a silently cast Stunner strikes me dead on, and I'm out like a light. 

* * *

I wake on a hard wooden floor. I blink for a moment and sit up quickly, looking around. Gerard is standing over me with Cassie's wand in hand. He must have Rennervated me. Cassie and Moody are laying motionless on the floor. 

"Cassie!" I say, rushing to her side. My limbs grow weak as I see how badly hurt she is. She was practically torn apart by curses. She's not breathing. No heartbeat. Fuck. " _Cassie!_ " 

"I don't think there's anything we can do for her now, barring time travel," Gerard says quietly. 

"No!" I shriek. "CASSIE!" I can't go back, not now. Not after being stunned like that. 

The shop owner is approaching us. "What in Merlin's name is going on here? I'd better call for St. Mungo's." 

"Too late for that, I think," Gerard says. 

"Call them anyway," I snap. "Cassie... Oh, Cassie..." My head swims. She can't be dead. She can't be. 

The shopkeeper nods and goes off to make an emergency call. 

"The witch who attacked us is dead, too," Gerard says. 

"Moody," I say, snarling. "It was Moody. Polyjuice, most likely. Fuck." 

I fumble around for where I'd dropped my wand, in hopes of casting something that might help Cassie. But the Elder Wand feels wrong in my hands. It doesn't fully accept me anymore. 

"Bah," I say. "Fucking fickle wand... Moody stunned me, then you killed Moody, so... I guess you're getting this back after all." I turn it around and offer it to Gerard with a sigh, and pull out my old pine wand from my bag. 

"Not how I might have expected that to happen," Gerard says, taking it. "It's a good thing that Moody completely underestimated me. Must've just thought I was an ordinary kid." 

Shortly, a small group of healers arrive from St. Mungo's to look over Cassie and Moody. 

"Is there anything you can do for her?" I ask, hardly allowing myself the faintest flicker of hope. 

"I'm sorry, son," says one of the healers. "She's beyond our help now." 

"What happened here?" someone else is asking. I can't see who. My vision is blurry, my eyes filled with tears. 

"That witch... one of the terrorists from the Order of the Phoenix, under Polyjuice," I mutter numbly, rubbing my eyes. "Attacked us. Killed... Killed Cassie... Merlin, he killed Cassie..." 

"I'm sorry for your loss," says the man. DMLE, maybe? "Come along with me, please. I'm going to need to take you and the other boy in for questioning." 

"You better get us our guardians," Gerard says. "Call Tom Riddle and Sirius Black at once." 

I numbly go along with the guards, trembling, sobbing, crying. I don't care what happens anymore. I don't have any fight left in me. I'm taken off somewhere. I don't know where. People are trying to ask me questions, but I barely answer in monosyllables. 

"Come on, Harry," Sirius is saying to me. "Let's get you home." 

I shortly find myself back at Caer Danas. People are trying to comfort me here, but I'm not paying attention. 

"Thank... thanks, but, I think I just want to be left alone for a bit," I say, stumbling off to my room. "Dobby! Firewhiskey! And keep it coming till I pass out." 

* * *

I wake with a groan on the floor. Sunlight is streaming in through the window, and I squint against it. Ugh, I have a hangover like the Abyss. 

I stumble downstairs and toward the dining area. Dobby comes in and says, "Master Harry want breakfast? Pancakes? Pancakes always make Master Harry happy." 

"No pancakes," I say. "Not today. Ugh. Just... just get me some juice or something right now." 

"Right away, Master Harry," Dobby says. 

As I sip at the orange juice Dobby brings me, Tom comes into the room. "Feeling any better today?" 

"No," I reply. "I feel like death." I sigh. "We should have done it sooner. We should have done something..." 

"He clearly knew to use Stunners rather than lethal spells against you," Tom says. 

I give an absent nod. "Next time... next time... _Nobody_ will know about the time travel thing except for us. There's no need for it, and it only causes shit like this. Fuck..." 

"At least that bastard got what was coming to him," Tom says. 

"It's not enough," I say. "Not good enough." I shake my head. "There will always be another Cassiopeia Black in some other timeline, but it's not the same. It's never quite the same. _This_ one is lost, gone forever..." 

"I'm sorry," Tom says, coming up and putting his hands on my shoulders comfortingly. 

"I'm going to kill them," I say coldly. 

"Who?" Tom asks. "The Order of the Phoenix?" 

"Yes," I say, icy fury burning through my veins. "And anyone else who gets in my way. And anyone else who I feel like." 

Tom pulls his hands back from me as if shocked. "You're crackling again." 

I give a nod, and stand up. "I'm not surprised. I'm not going to hold it back this time. They will all die. They took my Cassie away from me. The world can burn, for all I care." 

The walls are all down now. I'm filled with rage, and yet at the same time, I am deadly calm. I am in control. I'm just past the point of any restraint. 

I age myself up to twenty-five, and pull on a black cloak. "Have you a mask around somewhere?" 

Tom pulls out a Death Eater mask from somewhere and hands it to me wordlessly. Bone white? Yes, that will be more than sufficient, I believe. I put it on my face, and say, "Now, I am Darth Revan, Lord of Revenge." 

"Do you want any help with this?" Tom asks. 

"No," I say. "I think I have to do this myself. And I will keep at it until they kill me or they are all dead." 

"I understand," Tom says somberly. 

"Call Snape," I say. 

Tom gives a nod, and I stride into the main hall to wait for him. 

"What are you supposed to be?" Gerard says, looking up at me. 

"I am death," I say. "I am vengeance." 

"Planning on going trick-or-treating like a Muggle?" Gerard says. 

" _Don't_ ," I warn. "Just don't. I cannot guarantee that I won't attack you if you provoke me, and I don't care to die before even seeing the Order of the Phoenix." 

Gerard smirks. "Well, at least you realize your chances against me." His face sobers. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about Cassie. At least you didn't live to see her betray you..." 

I nod. "I don't think I could have handled that." 

Snape arrives, and then stops dead in his tracks when he sees me. "What's going on? Who are you?" 

"I am the blood of the one you loved," I say. "And today I am here to spill blood for the sake of one who I loved." 

"What happened?" Snape asks. 

"Moody killed Cassie," Gerard says. 

"Where is the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix?" I ask. 

"I can't tell you that," Snape says. "It's under the Fidelius Charm, and I'm not the Secret-Keeper. Moody is." 

"Well, good thing Moody's dead now, isn't it?" Gerard says. 

"Ah," Snape says. "Then the rest of us who knew the secret have all become Secret-Keepers. The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is at Longbottom Estate." 

"Are there children there?" I ask. 

Snape nods. "Neville Longbottom, at least, and some others." 

"Evacuate them," I say. "Use any excuse you need without tipping them off. Tell them Harry Potter wants to treat them all to ice cream or something. I don't care. I'm not going to murder children." 

"You... are going to kill them?" Snape says, eyes widening. 

"Yes," I say. "Tell me that you can really blame me. I will have vengeance." 

"Fine," Snape says. "I cannot say anything against that sentiment. I will do as you ask." 

He leaves again. I sit down heavily on the couch, shaking a little. I keep expecting to see Cassie cheerfully skipping down the stairs like usual, looking for breakfast, brightly bidding me good morning. But she isn't there, and she never will be again. 

"So..." Gerard says quietly. "What are you planning to do once they're all dead?" 

"I'm going to go back in time and start over," I say. "Feel free to take over the world once we're gone. I doubt there will be anyone left who can stop you. I certainly don't care anymore." 

Another figure comes into the room, wearing a black cloak with a white mask. "I'm going with you." 

"Tom?" I say, glancing up at him. 

"I... loved Cassie too," Tom says quietly. 

I give a grim nod toward him. "I will be glad to have you at my side, in darkness and in light, through fire and ice, in joy and in sorrow, until the end of time." 

A silvery doe Patronus prances into the room, and speaks a single word in Snape's voice: "Done." 

"Tom, Stupefy me for a moment and then Rennervate me again," I say. 

Tom points his wand at me and says, " _Stupefy_." I fall unconscious. 

* * *

I wake, and stride outside to Apparate to Longbottom Estate along with Tom, and go inside. There are people inside, milling about, moving things around. It looks like they've received word of Moody's death and are working to evacuate, or shore up the defenses, or something. Not sure. Don't care. There are still plenty of people here. 

Some spot us, and begin to raise wands against us. " _Fulgoris!_ " I cry, sending lightning toward them. Their faces don't even register in my mind. I don't remember their names. They aren't people anymore. They're enemies. 

The air burns with curses. Bodies are falling. I don't even bother with defense. I don't care at the moment. Curses strike me as well, and I collapse myself, dying. 

* * *

I wake on the couch in Caer Danas. I don't even pause. I get up again and Apparate to Longbottom Estate. I stride inside and start the assault again. I let out my cold fury upon everyone inside. I give a token defense this time, and last a bit longer before falling in battle. 

* * *

Waking. Apparating to the enemy headquarters in an icy rage. This time, Tom engulfs the building in Fiendfyre while we're still inside. We're certain to die again, but it doesn't matter. The only thing that's important is vengeance. And we will have our revenge. The pain as the demonic flames sear my skin only serves to dull the pain in my heart. 

* * *

I wake, and go to the enemy headquarters again. This time I bring down an overcharged Lightning Curse, electrocuting everything inside in a furious storm. I have better control over it now, though. It's still killing me, but I keep it going longer and kill more enemies than I otherwise might have been able to before I die. 

* * *

I wake. Starting to grow tired, but I don't care. I go to the enemy stronghold once more and resume my furious assault with Tom at my side. He doesn't seem to be flagging, nor does he speak a word in protest about our repeated deaths. 

"Who are you?" someone asks me. 

"I am Darth Revan, Lord of Revenge," I snarl. "I am your doom!" 

This time, I'm too slow to dodge a Stunning Spell, and I go down. 

* * *

" _Rennervate_ ," Tom casts, bringing me back to consciousness. "Guess we're stuck here, huh? Let's go out in flames, Darth Revan. Let's bring swift vengeance down upon our foes." 

"They will all perish," I say icily. 

I resume my attacks, ignoring my weariness, ignoring my pain. None of that matters. Nothing will stop revenge. 

I'm too slow to respond to an enemy curse, and die again. 

* * *

"How much longer?" Tom asks as I wake again. 

"Don't know," I say. "Don't care. My hopes all died with Cassie." 

I keep attacking, but I can hardly keep up now. It's sheer willpower that's keeping me going now. Willpower and unmitigated rage. And I drop again. 

* * *

I struggle to my feet one more time, panting softly. 

"How many times has this been?" Tom asks. 

"I'm not sure," I say. 

"If they catch us, they'll send us to Azkaban," Tom says. 

"Hit me with the Killing Curse if that looks likely to happen," I say. 

"Will do," Tom says. 

Another curse slices open my throat, leaving me spilling out my lifeblood onto the floor. I welcome the pain. I welcome death. 

* * *

I stagger to my feet. I can barely stand now. But I will keep going. 

I fall to the ground again. I'm not going to keep going. I can't cast a single spell now. It looks like I can't stand after all. 

"You want an energy potion?" Tom asks. 

"No," I say. "Let the inevitable come. Let it be over." 

"Very well," Tom says. He lets loose Fiendfyre on the house again. "Let us die on our own terms, then." 

Tom puts his arms around me, and I lean against him. I give a grim smile as the flames take us. 

* * *

I wake, but the ceiling I'm looking up at is different this time. Tom isn't here. And I'm smaller, younger. I'm in my room in Torn Elkandu. 

Ah. Tom must have seen that I could not get up again, and forced a full reset with a Killing Curse. 

I sigh heavily, and just lay in my bed for several long minutes. Perhaps if I had been calmer and thinking more clearly, I might have just pushed ahead anyway. I could have completed Hogwarts. But what would it matter? 

Of all the things I lost in that world, the only thing that mattered was Cassie. The only thing I even had a hint of expecting that I might be able to take with me, taken from me. Tears roll down my face, and I lay in bed, sobbing into my pillow. 

I know I should prepare to leave Torn Elkandu. Sedder will be here in six hours to kill everyone again. But I don't care right now. For the moment, I just want to grieve for what was lost. 

I never even bothered to ask or wonder why Moody killed Cassie, or whether those who I killed really deserved to die. It doesn't matter anymore. 

An hour later, I finally pull myself out of the bed. I've got to get a hold of myself. I've got to think reasonably. A year ago, I'd never even considered the possibility of being able to take anyone with me. I would have been sad to leave them behind when I left, but ultimately I'd know that I could see them again. 

But now, not only do I know it's possible, but I have someone I care very much about bound to my soul right now. I should be glad for what I have. 

The thought of Tom calms me a bit. I'm not alone anymore. I don't know that I will be okay for a while. But he will be reason to keep going. Life goes on. 

Life goes on... 

* * *

My name is Lexen Chelseer, the Stormseeker. A pretentious, meaningless title given to me by the Elkandu, the mages who travel between universes that I'm supposedly a part of. But I've only even spent a week among the Elkandu. The city of Torn Elkandu is no real home to me. It's just a place I wind up when I get killed in certain ways. 

I'm here in Torn Elkandu again, having lost someone I loved. My precious Cassie, my beloved Cassiopeia Black. Gone. I can see her again, to be sure. There will be another Cassiopeia Black alive in another timeline. But she won't remember me. The one I knew is no more, and I can never get her back. 

I went on a rampage of vengeance against those I believed responsible for her death. A pointless waste of rage that accomplished nothing but dying several times, ultimately resulting in the final one sending me back here. 

I don't really know why I'm so upset about it. Until this last loop, I never even considered the possibility of taking anyone with me, their memories intact. But now I know that it's possible. At least, I think it is. I still have some nagging doubts in my mind, even though I shouldn't. I will need to find out if my soul is still linked to Tom Riddle. 

I finally bother getting out of my bed. I look down at my ten year old body. I don't want to be a little kid again at the moment. It might be useful sometimes, but for now, I focus on my Time Magic to shift my age up to around twenty-five. 

Before putting on my clothes, I transfigure the robe and jeans to be large enough to fit me properly. It's not perfect, but it's the best I can do without a wand. I make them a little on the baggy side. Better to overshoot as too large rather than too small. 

I head out of my dorm room and down the hall, and pass through the cafeteria. They're serving pancakes, as they always serve pancakes on this morning, the morning of the day when I first died. Pancakes, my favorite food. Pancakes of hope. Pancakes of potential. Pancakes of possibility. But it's a bittersweet thought, since they always remind me of all I've lost as well. The worlds I've left behind, the friends that I can never reclaim. I don't think I care to eat anything this morning. 

I step out from the School of Thought and onto the rune-lined streets of Torn Elkandu. I pause for a while to stare up at the swirling purple-black sky. There's no real sun in Torn Elkandu, no moon or stars to gaze up at. Just the surreal expanse of the Ethereal Plane. I don't understand what it all really means. Maybe someday I will learn. 

There's only a few hours until Torn Elkandu will be attacked. I should be leaving this place, making preparations for my next journey, but I really don't feel up to it at the moment. I'll leave that for the next loop. I think I will be in Torn Elkandu at that time, and see how I might do in the attack. I've learned quite a bit since I was last here. I don't think I'll even bother going to pick up my wand. The Elkandu don't use wands, and relying on them is really something of a liability, especially in combat. 

I walk up toward the Nexus, the connection between all worlds. The powerful teleportation device that allows travel to other universes. After the attack, I won't be able to use it anymore. It will destabilize with no one monitoring it, preventing incoming travel. Anything I want to do with it needs to be done in the six hours after a full reset. Any friends I want to bring with me on the next journey. Whether they remember me or not. 

The Nexus is currently being monitored by my distant cousin, Keolah Kedaire, the Seeker of the Elkandu. A slender elven woman with piercing silver eyes that tend to be looking past you and seeing things you cannot perceive. She's also an easily distracted ditz, and likely to entirely fail to notice that Torn Elkandu is even under attack. 

I don't need to talk to her at the moment, though. I know where I'm going. I picture in my mind's eye the image of Malfoy Manor, and will the Nexus to activate. Glowing mists surround me and take me away to another place. It's a much more pleasant and subtle sensation than Apparating. 

I politely knock on the door. After a minute, the door opens, and Lucius Malfoy is standing inside, looking out at me a little quizzically. 

"Good day," Lucius says. "Is there something you require?" 

"Greetings, Mr. Malfoy," I say. "My name is Lexen Chelseer. I'm a time traveler from the future, and I require an object that was given into your keeping some years ago. May I come inside?" 

Lucius frowns in puzzlement and stands aside, allowing me to enter and closing the door behind me. "Do you have any proof for what you say?" 

"The object I'm looking for is a Muggle-style diary with the name Tom Riddle on it," I say. "Our master gave it to you to keep safe. I require it in order to restore him." He stares at me for a moment, and I go on. "It's in the secret room in the basement, the one you get into by tapping the hidden door with your wand in an S motion, and saying ' _Sanctimonia Vincet Semper_ '." 

"The fact that you know that gives a small amount of credence to your claim," Lucius says. "But I do not see how this proves you are actually from the future, nor am I even familiar with who you are." 

"How about you go and get the diary, and write in it asking if it remembers me?" I suggest. I do hope that it does, otherwise all of this was for nothing. "I'm afraid I don't have the time to tell you some future event and wait for it to come to pass or not. I'm on a very limited timeframe here at the moment." 

"Very well," Lucius concedes after a bit of thought. "Please have a seat and wait here." 

"Of course, sir," I say. I take a seat on a small couch, and close my eyes, letting out a deep sigh and trying to relax for a moment. I'm more wound up than I thought. Not a few hours ago, I was storming the Order of the Phoenix headquarters and dying repeatedly in the process. Adjusting to a new life is always shaky at first. 

After a while, Lucius returns, and hands the diary to me. "If this is some sort of trick, it's one worthy of Salazar Slytherin himself." 

I snicker softly and take the diary from him. "Did he tell you off?" 

"He told me things that only the Dark Lord could have known, and confirmed your story," Lucius says. 

I give a nod and stand up. "Thank you. We'll be off now. You probably won't be seeing us again. We're heading off to take over another universe or something now. Farewell. Oh, and tell Draco that Hermione is the Heir of Atlantis, and the goblins can confirm it." 

I grin mischievously and run off before I start giggling. Once outside, I Recall back to the Torn Elkandu. I step out of the Nexus and open up the diary, and mutter, "Damn it, I don't have any pens or anything on me." 

Words appear on the page. "No need. There's plenty of energy here to make up for it. What is this place?" 

"Torn Elkandu," I say. 

"There is so much energy here, I think I can manifest physically without even requiring anything else!" Tom writes. 

Before me, the handsome form of a dark-haired sixteen year old boy shimmers into existence. Once he's fully formed, he pauses for a moment before using my Time Magic to age himself up to adult. Tom lets out a deep breath and hugs me tightly. 

"It's good to see you," Tom says. "It's good to actually be here for myself, and not just seeing it in a Pensieve. This place is incredible! I've never felt such a powerful concentration of magic before." 

"Oh, hello," Keolah says, finally noticing us. "A new arrival?" 

"Who-- _What_ are you?" Tom asks. 

"I am Keolah Kedaire, the Seeker. I am an elf. Specifically, a song elf from Lezaria." 

"Well, you have pointed ears, and your eyes are a little odd, but aside from that you look mostly human," Tom says. 

"Not a house-elf sort of elf," I explain. "I don't know why our worlds give the name 'elves' to two very different sorts of beings, but such as it is." 

"I see," Tom says. "Well, then, it's nice to meet you, Keolah the Seeker. My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle." 

Keolah stares at him, almost looking like she's staring right through him, and then examines me closely as well. "A Soul Bond?" 

"You can _see_ that?" Tom says incredulously. 

"She isn't called the Seeker for nothing," I say. "They say if Keolah can't find it, it doesn't exist." I smirk at her. "And she's also easily distracted." 

"I am not," Keolah says. "Say, Stormseeker, I thought you were ten years old? Oh... you're a Time Mage, did you change your age?" 

"Case in point," I say. "You just noticed that?" 

"Would you like to go somewhere today?" Keolah asks as Tom goes over to examine the Nexus more closely. 

"Nowhere, really," I say. "I'm just waiting for Sedder and Sardill to show up and attack Torn Elkandu, killing everyone." 

"Is that likely?" Keolah says. 

"It'll happen in a few hours," I say. 

Sedder, the Dark Elkandu who made me watch as he tortured my young cousins to death, poor little Helga and Hilda. That was a long time ago, though. Nearly two decades worth of experiences in my mind. Now, the pain from losing Cassie is far more fresh in my mind. 

"Keolah," I say. "How do you cope with losing people?" 

"I scry for them to figure out where they might be," Keolah replies. 

"That's not what I meant," I say, smirking. "I mean. What do you do if someone you care about dies?" 

"Oh," Keolah says, her face falling as she focuses upon me. "My parents were killed when I was thirteen, you know. Sardill's men came and burned our village to the ground, slaughtered everyone there. I only narrowly escaped myself." 

"I think I heard about that," I say. "How did you deal with it?" 

"I teamed up with your great-grandmother, Hawthorne, and went on an adventure to save the world and bring down Sardill," Keolah says. "But then later I realized that Sardill had only attacked our village because of some stupid prophecy that didn't even really say anything beyond identifying me." 

"That story sounds familiar," Tom comments. 

"I do so hate prophecies," I say. 

"Yeah," Keolah agrees. "When I founded the Elkandu, I realized that we would be stronger working together. Sardill and Sedder were part of us, then. We were a unified whole, working toward a common cause, the exploration of the universe. I suppose my ideal was too good to be true. We had a disagreement, and Sedder wound up betraying us. The Elkandu were divided." 

"How were you able to forgive Sardill if he killed your parents?" I ask. 

"My ideal was more important than revenge," Keolah says. "We needed to be strong. I set it aside for the sake of our purpose. I didn't wish to be merely light or darkness, but both and neither." 

"But it didn't work," I say. 

"No," Keolah says, sighing. "Not only have the Dark Elkandu broken off from us, but there are murmurs of discontent among those who remain. There are those who want to fight them, rather than remaining neutral. But I don't want to fight. This battle is one to which there can be no victory, no matter who wins." 

I realize something suddenly. Keolah will always be Keolah, whether she remembers our conversations or not. Actually, knowing Keolah, she's not likely to remember our conversations regardless. 

Cassie will always be Cassie. Even if she doesn't remember the experiences we shared, she will still be the woman I fell in love with. There's some comfort in that, but it doesn't make losing her so suddenly and unexpectedly much easier on me. 

"There's so much energy here," Tom murmurs. "These runes... I would think that they'd require too much energy to even work, but I've never seen a place quite as powerful as this. I can't imagine that this would work anywhere else." 

"Torn Elkandu is a pocket world," Keolah says. "It's located on the Ethereal Plane adjacent to Lezaria. A Nexus can only function properly in a realm like this." 

"Tell me about those who are going to attack this place," Tom says. "Who is Sedder? And who is Sardill?" 

"Sedder is a Shadow Mage," Keolah says. "His primary powers involve manipulating darkness. Sardill, on the other hand... Sardill is a Catalyst." 

"What does that mean?" Tom asks. 

"He can manipulate magical energy in any way he wants to," Keolah says. "And he's had ten thousand years of practice at it. None of us are anywhere close to matching his power. He's effectively a god." 

"I don't even understand why he's doing this," I say. "But I think it's because of me, somehow. 'Try again, Stormseeker', he kept telling me right before killing me." 

"It's strange," Keolah says. "Sardill doesn't normally get involved in things directly. He prefers to manipulate events from the shadows. He spent millennia starting wars against himself on Lezaria." 

"Why would he be interested in me?" I wonder. 

"Your Time Magic, perhaps?" Keolah says. 

"I suppose," I say. "Maybe I should ask him myself. See if he'll actually give me an answer this time." 

Soon enough, the runes on the Nexus activate, glowing vibrantly for a few moments. Mist fills the circle between the eight obelisks, and the Dark Elkandu appear. 

Tom and I call forth all the magic we have against the Dark Elkandu, but it's not enough. Not nearly enough. Some of the Dark Elkandu are killed in our assault, but in the end, Sardill sweeps us aside with barely a flick of thought. 

"Sardill, why are you doing this?" I ask, groaning softly, laying broken on the rune-covered street. 

"Because you are the only one who can change what should not become," Sardill says. "You have the potential to shake the multiverse, and shape the Trayziak Tatalyar." 

"Isn't that like, the name of the multiverse or something?" I say. 

"Uttermost Confusion," Sardill says. "Ultimate Chaos. The universe branches like a fractal tree, and even the tiniest variations hold weight. And you can change time itself. The Book of Truths told you about this." 

"How did you know about that?" I ask. 

"I am the Catalyst," Sardill says, not answering me. "I am the one who starts things in motion. But you are the one who needs to make them happen. Try again, Stormseeker." 

* * *

With a wave of his hand, I'm back in the dorm at the School of Thought, ten years old again. 

That was strange. Every time I talk to Sardill, my view of the universe makes even less sense than it did before. 

More confused, but calmer now, I shift my age, transfigure my clothes and get dressed, and go to eat some pancakes. I think I can appreciate the potential, the possibilities, a little more now. Especially if even half of what Sardill says is true. 

I head out to the Nexus and teleport to the Chelseer estate in Wishingsdale, on the world of Lezaria. I go inside and locate my great-grandmother, Hawthorne. 

"Huh, who are you?" Hawthorne asks. 

"Lexen," I say. "I'm a Time Mage. I can change my apparent age at will. Actually, this is my chronological age. I'm almost twenty-eight now. I've been doing a lot of time traveling." 

"That sounds like fun," Hawthorne says. 

"Do you mind if I borrow your sword for my next adventure?" I ask. 

"Oh, sure," Hawthorne says. She pulls off the belt and scabbard and hands it over to me. "Have fun. Kill lots of people with it!" 

"Uh, yeah, I probably will," I say. 

Strapping the magic sword around my waist, I head down to the family vault. I pull out several gold bars and a bag full of gemstones. That in hand, I Recall to the Nexus and teleport to Diagon Alley next. 

I head into Gringotts to get some galleons. I buy a bag of holding and a magic tent. Expensive, but worth it. I just need to remember to put some protective charms on it. Then I head into Ollivander's. 

"Hello, Ollivander," I say. "I'm a time traveler, here to pick up my wand again. _Accio_ my wand!" 

From one of the shelves behind Ollivander, a wand flies out of a box and toward me, and then clatters against the wall next to me, completely ignoring my outstretched hand. 

I mutter, "And I still need to practice that spell better." 

I pick up the wand and give it a wave, and blue sparks shower out of it. I put it on the table in front of Ollivander, and count out the galleons for it. 

"Pine, dragon heartstring, thirteen inches," Ollivander says, staring at me. 

"Hmm, out of curiosity... _Prior Incantato!_ " The wand shows the last several spells that have been cast. Lightning Curses, Shielding Charms... all the spells I'd cast during that last fight with the Order of the Phoenix. 

"Strange," Ollivander says. "I'm sure no one has cast anything with that wand before." 

"I think the wand remembers me somehow," I say. 

"Most fascinating," Ollivander says. "I've never seen anything quite like that before." 

"I'll let you toy with that mystery in some other timeline," I say. "Right now, I have some things to do before leaving this world again. Farewell." 

I Apparate over to Malfoy Manor and pick up the diary again, convincing Lucius to bring it out a little more quickly this time. With that, I Recall back to Torn Elkandu. I'm hardly back there for a few seconds before the diary starts glowing brightly, and Tom Riddle manifests in front of me. 

"Welcome back," I say, grinning at him. 

"You know, this level of available energy is really nice," Tom says. "It's a pity that we don't have access to it more." 

"Take advantage of it while you can," I say. "I've got gold bars, gemstones, a bag of holding, a magic tent, and my wand. Where can we pick up your wand?" 

"Peter Pettigrew stashed it away at Riddle Manor after my previous defeat," Tom says. 

"Alright," I say. "Let's go get it." 

I step over to the Nexus and describe to him how to use it, and activate it to send us to Riddle Manor. 

"Marvelous device," Tom comments, heading over to pick up his wand from where it was hidden. Stashed away beside the foundation and half-buried. With that in hand, we Recall back to the Nexus. 

"Anything else you can think of that we should take care of while we can?" I ask. 

"We could always go and pick up Cassie," Tom suggests gently. "She might not remember us, but you can still de-age her, and we can bond her later if you want." 

I think on it for a moment, and then sigh and shake my head. "Tempting, but... I don't think I could handle it. What if... what if it happened again? What if we lost her again?" 

Tom puts an arm around me comfortingly. "I understand." 

"I think I just... shouldn't care too much about anyone who isn't bound to me," I say. "At least then it wouldn't hurt so much. Losing them all is inevitable anyway." 

"Shh," Tom says softly. "It'll be alright. Let's just go, then. We don't really have a lot of time right now, after all." 

I nod, and step into the Nexus with him. "To Terrestia, then." 

I picture our destination firmly in my mind from the last time I was here. A lovely place called Nodye Coast. I will the Nexus to activate, and the glowing mists take us away.


End file.
